Page 15 of An Island in the Sun

Tabitha sighed and shook her head as she looked into Fudge’s big brown eyes. She scratched him under the chin. ‘This is a bit of a pickle, isn’t it,’ she muttered as Fudge pawed her hand for more attention. ‘Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re much easier to deal with. Food and cuddles are all you want.’ Although, when she thought about it, would a bloke really be any different?

With Fudge pawing at her and her head fizzing with thoughts of Raff, Tabitha knew she couldn’t concentrate on writing or playing the guitar. She was tempted to give up for the day, but with a deadline looming to deliver the lyrics for the song she was working on, plus a Zoom catch-up scheduled the next day with her producer at the record company, she couldn’t simply do nothing. The one advantage of travelling around on her own was that if she didn’t get work done during the day, she could always make up for it in the evening. Being by herself, that was the time of day she found the most difficult. She did occasionally go out to eat but didn’t like sitting alone. There were times when company would be good.

Raff returned with a blue and white hammock tucked under his arm and a grin that lit up his face. ‘Follow me.’

Despite herself, she did, with Fudge and Bailey at her heels.

‘Morning, Tabitha.’

Julie’s soft voice seemingly came out of nowhere.

Raff dived to the side until he, along with the hammock, were hidden from view by the pampas grass screening the two gardens. With his free hand, he held a finger to his lips.

Tabitha stifled a laugh and shaded her eyes with her hand. ‘Hi, Julie.’

‘Beautiful day, isn’t it.’ She stopped deadheading flowers and came over to the gap by the fence. ‘It must help to inspire you with your writing.’

‘It does, although not today. Not had much chance to work.’ She aimed the comment at Raff, who she could just see out of the corner of her eye.

‘You’ll have to wait until inspiration hits.’

‘Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work like that. Sometimes I just have to work through it even if it feels like I’m wading through treacle. Particularly if I have a deadline to meet,’ she said firmly, in the hope that Raff would get the hint.

‘Well, I hope the creative juices flow. By the way, if you’re wondering where Misty is, she’s sunning herself on our patio. We don’t feed her or anything like that, she just seems to enjoy that spot.’

‘I did wonder where she goes to during the day, so thanks for letting me know.’

‘You’re welcome.’ Julie smiled, faltered and then said, ‘I’ll leave you to it, but you must come over one day and have coffee. If you can spare the time, of course.’

‘Sure, that would be lovely.’

Tabitha waited until Julie had wandered away to retrieve her secateurs and was out of earshot.

Raff emerged from between the pampas grass with the hammock, a grin lighting up his face.

Tabitha shook her head but couldn’t help returning a smile. ‘You were seriously planning on staying here and sneaking around like that?’

‘Yep, and I see you’ve already made friends with the neighbours.’

‘What’s the deal with your parents not liking Julie and Anton?’

‘Fuck knows.’

There it was again, him deflecting. She knew he knew the reason why. Even in the short time she’d known his parents, she could see how different they were to Julie; it was obvious there was a clash of personalities and she sensed it came from Cordelia and Rufus rather than the other way round.

Raff paced ahead, obviously not wanting to continue the conversation. At the bottom of the garden, to the side of the wood-clad office, were two palm trees, hammock distance apart. She watched as Raff started to tie the hammock securely between them. She couldn’t help but compare him to Lewis. Lewis certainly hadn’t had Raff’s confidence or his swagger. Raff had erupted into her life, while Lewis had crept in, the two of them introduced by mutual friends. Lewis, her clean-cut financial advisor ex-boyfriend. He and Tabitha couldn’t have been more different – had their relationship really been doomed from the start? Tabitha had been the wild one, a songwriter and musician who at the time had been used to late-night gigging and spending more time in a hotel than at home, wherever that was. Lewis had changed her, she knew. Perhaps that was what she resented the most.

Raff finished securing the hammock and turned to her with a grin. ‘Go on, try it.’

‘You wantmeto test it out?’ She folded her arms in mock indignation.

He pushed his weight down on the centre of the hammock to prove it was secure, yet all it really did was showcase his biceps. He turned back to her. ‘It’s perfectly safe, I promise.’

Rather than focusing on Raff, Tabitha contemplated the hammock and how to gracefully get into it. At least she was wearing shorts and not a skirt. Bailey had settled himself beneath one of the palm trees, while Fudge was racing around between the trees, probably wondering what his temporary human was about to do. She tentatively leaned her hands on the middle of the hammock, causing it to wobble.

‘You need some help?’ Raff said with laughter in his voice.

‘Just a bit concerned I’m going to topple out the other side.’

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